Carton having composite bottom

ABSTRACT

A carton having top, bottom and side walls as well as end panels foldably joined to the end edges of the top wall is provided with a composite bottom panel including a pair of panels respectively adjoined foldably to the bottom edges of the side walls together with a plurality of projections extending from an edge of one of the bottom panels and arranged to be inserted into corresponding openings formed in a retaining panel foldably joined to an edge of the other bottom panel and secured in flat face contacting relation with a surface of the one panel.

United States Patent Neff [15] 3,679,122 [451 July 25, 1972 [54] CARTON HAVING COMPOSITE BOTTOM [72] Inventor: Robert G. Neft', Cincinnati, Ohio [73] Assignee: The Mead Corporation [22] Filed: Nov. 18, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 90,568

[52] 11.8. C1. ..229/40, 229/48 SA, 229/82 Primary Examiner- Davis T. Moorehead Attorney-Walter M. Rodgers [57] ABSTRACT A carton having top, bottom and side walls as well as end panels foldably joined to the end edges of the top wall is provided with a composite bottom panel including a pair of panels respectively adjoined foldably to the bottom edges of the side walls together with a plurality of projections extending from an edge of one of the bottom panels and arranged to be inserted into corresponding openings formed in a retaining panel foldably joined to an edge of the other bottom panel and secured in flat face contacting relation with a surface of the one panel.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures JUL 2 @922 is as -20 BYMQZ ATTORNEY CARTON HAVING COMPOSITE BO'I'IOM Where a composite carton panel comprises a pair of adjoined panels and where such panels are secured together in overlapping relation by means of adhesive, it is necessary to hold the panels to be adjoined in fixed orientation relative to each other while the junction is being formed. This is particularly important where fast setting adhesives such as those of the thermoplastic type are used and wherein sealing pressure is applied while the carton is advanced during a carton forming machine operation. Conventional machines employing static pressure bars or plates tend to impart unbalanced drag to opposite panels of a carton which in turn interferes with the desired finished and sealed orientation of one panel relative to the other associated panel. This problem has been attacked in the past by the provision of complicated and expensive movable pressure bars, plates, belts and the like. By this invention, the problem of improper panel orientation is solved by structural features inherent in the carton itself. Thus according to this invention one panel is provided along one edge thereof with at least one projection and the other panel is provided with a retaining panel foldably adjoined thereto and in which at least one aperture is formed for receiving the projection on the one panel. The retaining panel and projection preferably are secured in flat face contacting relation by suitable adhesive means to the panel other than that which such retaining panel and projection are directly associated.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank constructed accordingto the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carton in the process of being formed from the blank of FIG. 1; o

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view of the carton shown in FIG. 2 and in which FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line designated 4 4 in FIG. 2.

in the drawings the numeral 1 designates the top panel of the carton. Side wall 2 is foldably joined along fold line 3 to a side edge of top wall 1 while side wall 4 is foldably joined along fold line 5 to the opposite side edge of top wall 1. End panel 6 is foldably joined along fold line 7 to one end edge of top wall 1 while end panel 8 is foldably joined along fold line 9 to the opposite end edge of top wall I. Anchoring panels 10 and 11 are foldably joined along fold line 12 and 13 to opposite end edges of side wall 2 while anchoring panels 14 and 15 are foldably joined along fold lines 16 and 17 respectively to opposite end edges of side wall 4.

For the purpose of interrelating the end edges of end panel 6 with the anchoring panels 10 and 14 a pair of web panels 18 and 19 provided. Web panel 18 is foldably joined to end panel 6 along fold line 20 and to anchoring panel 10 along fold line 21. Similarly web panel 19 is foldably joined to end panel 6 along fold line 22 and to anchoring panel 14 along fold line 23.

At the opposite end of the package a web panel 24 interconnects end panel 8 and anchoring panel 11 and a'similar web panel 25 interconnects end panel 8 and anchoring panel 15.

Web panel 24 is foldably joined to anchoring panel 11 along fold line 26 and to end panel 8 along fold line 27. In like fashion web panel 25 is foldably joined to end panel 8 along fold line 28 and to anchoring panel 15 along fold line 29.

When the carton is assembled in complete set-up form the end panels 6 and 8 are vertically disposed and the anchoring panels 10, 11, 14 and 15 are disposed in flat face contacting relationship with the inside surfaces of the associated side walls in a manner well known in the art. When so disposed the web panels 'such as 18 and 19 hold the end panel 6 in a vertical position web panels 24 and 25 hold the end panel 8 in a vertical position.

The bottom wall of the carton is a composite wall made up of a pair of bottom panels designated by the numerals 30 and 31. Panel 30 is foldably joined along fold line 32 to the bottom edge of side wall 2 while panel 31 is foldably joined .along fold line 33 to the bottom edge of side wall 4. A plurality of projectlons 34, 35 and 36 are integrally formed along edge 3 of panel 30 and a retaining panel 38 is foldably joined along fold line 39 to panel 31. Apertures 40, 41 and 42 are formed in retaining panel 38 by virture of the fact that projections 43, 44 and 45 are struck therefrom and are integral with panel 31.

In the formation of the bottom panel, retaining panel 38 is folded outwardly somewhat from the plane of its associated panel 31 along fold line 39. This operation exposes the apertures 40, 41 and 42 and conditions those apertures for the entry of projections 34, 35 and 36 respectively. Once the projections-34 36 are fully inserted into the apertures 40 42 respectively, the edge 37 of panel 30 is disposed in close proximity to the fold line 39.

It is apparent that the projections 34 36 are configured in a manner similar to or identical with the apertures 40 42. Thus the insertion of the projections 34 36 into the apertures 40 42 causes the panel 30 to align itself properly with the panel 31 and also serves to prevent longitudinal shifting of the panels with respect to each other during the subsequent sealing operation. The similarity between the configuration of projection 34 36 and the configuration of apertures 40 42 constitutes a detailed aspect of the invention and insures a proper orientation of panel 30 with respect to panel 31 such for example as is depicted in FIG. 4.

Once the panels 30 and 31 are properly positioned with respect to each other, the facing parts are secured together. For example, the interior surface of retaining panel 38 is applied with suitable hot melt adhesive or with heat sealable material and by this means is affixed in face contacing relationship to the bottom surface of panel 30. If desired, the interior surface of the retaining panel 38 may carry pre-applied heat-softenable adhesive and the position of the retaining panel, folded outwardly at an angle to panel 30, permits a blast of hot air to be directed against the interior surface thereof. Of course retaining panel 38 could be affixed in flat face contacting relation to the inside surface of the panel 30 if desired. The projections such as 34, 35 and 36 may also be adhered to the bottom surface of panel 31 and projections 43, 44 and 45 may be adhered to the upper or inside surface of panel 30, if desired.

From the above description it is apparent that according to the invention a secure composite panel is provided which is easily and accurately controlled during the formation of the composite panel.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A carton having top, bottom and side walls foldably joined together to form a tubular structure in which the bottom wall is a composite panel comprising a pair of bottom panels foldably joined respectively to the bottom edges of the side walls, a retaining panel foldably joined to an edge of one of said bottom panels which is opposite to the edge which is adjoined to the associated side wall, at least one aperture struck from said retaining panel so as to define a projection of said one bottom panel, at least one projection dimensioned and configured substantially the same as said aperture and integrally formed along an edge of the other of said bottom panels which is remote from the edge thereof which is adjoined to the bottom edge of the associated side wall and disposedwithin said aperture in said retaining panel so as to prevent relative longitudinal movement between said bottom panels, and adhesive means securing said retaining panel in flat face contacting relation with said other panel.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein said projection on said one panel is secured by adhesive means in flat face contacting relation with a surface of said other panel opposite that to which said retaining panel is secured. 

1. A carton having top, bottom and side walls foldably joined together to form a tubular structure in which the bottom wall is a composite panel comprising a pair of bottom panels foldably joined respectively to the bottom edges of the side walls, a retaining panel foldably joined to an edge of one of said bottom panels which is opposite to the edge which is adjoined to the associated side wall, at least one aperture struck from said retaining panel so as to define a projection of said one bottom panel, at least one projection dimensioned and configured substantially the same as said aperture and integrally formed along an edge of the other of said bottom panels which is remote from the edge thereof which is adjoined to the bottom edge of the associated side wall and disposed within said aperture in said retaining panel so as to prevent relative longitudinal movement between said bottom panels, and adhesive means securing said retaining panel in flat face contacting relation with said other panel.
 2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein said projection on said one panel is secured by adhesive means in flat face contacting relation with a surface of said other panel opposite that to which said retaining panel is secured. 